How can I file a police report? When should I call 911? What if my situation is not an emergency, but I still need the police?

If the situation is an emergency, call 911. Always call 911 if your situation is life threatening. Call 911 when there is a crime in progress, a fire, a medical emergency, when someone is in physical danger or in other situations in which help is needed immediately.

If the non-emergency incident occurred within the town limits of Blacksburg, you can file a police report one of two ways:

First, you can go in person to the Blacksburg Police Department during office hours, Monday- Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You may also request for a police officer to respond to your location (within the town limits) by calling the 911 Dispatch’s non-emergency number at (864) 487-2747.

Outside of the front door of the Blacksburg Police station is a telephone which is a direct line to 911 Dispatch, and you may request that a BPD officer meet you.

How do I get a copy of a police report or an accident report?

Copies of incident reports and accident reports are available from our Records office located in the lobby of the police station, at 101 South Shelby Street. The office hours are Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed for lunch between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. The office is not open on holidays or weekends. For more information, call us at (864) 839-2331.

Who do I contact to see if I have any outstanding warrants?

If you believe you may have a Blacksburg warrant, you should go in person to the Blacksburg Police Department during office hours, Monday- Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, if you use the telephone outside of the front door of the Blacksburg Police station to speak to 911 Dispatch, you may request that a BPD officer meet you to check for warrants.

If you believe you may have a County warrant, you should call the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department at (864) 489-4722.

If you believe you may have a Gaffney City warrant, you should call the Gaffney Police Department at (864) 489-8115.

Who do I call to see if someone is in jail?

The Blacksburg Police Department does not have a jail. All inmates are housed at the Cherokee County Detention Center in Gaffney, South Carolina. Click on: Inmate Search or call (864) 487-2529. Ask for Booking when you call.

I want to sell goods or provide services in Blacksburg, and I am not an established, registered business in town. How do I obtain a solicitation permit?

Solicitation permits (temporary permits to sell goods or services within the town limits of Blacksburg) are available at the Blacksburg Town Hall, located next to the Police Department at 105 South Shelby Street. You can call them at (864) 839-2332.

These relatively inexpensive permits are required for any merchant or vendor, and stiff fines are levied for soliciting without a permit.

How can I get a crime prevention or other related police presentation for my group, school or organization?

You should call our Chief of Police, Jamie Ham, at (864) 839-2331.

How do I compliment or complain about a Blacksburg police officer or department employee, and/or police service?

How do I find out how much a traffic ticket is?

If you were cited and released on-scene, the amount of the requested fine should be on the bottom of your ticket. If you see “Bond Req. (bond requested)” and a dollar amount, this is the amount of the fine.

If you were taken to jail for the offense (i.e. DUI or DUS), then the amount of your fine is up to the Judge when you go to court.

If you still have questions about how much your traffic ticket fine is, you can call Vickie, the Clerk of Court for the Blacksburg Magistrate Court, at (864) 839-2492, during office hours, Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where can I go to pay a traffic ticket? What are acceptable forms of payment for tickets?

Traffic citations can be paid any one of four ways:

(1) You can pay them in person at the Blacksburg Magistrate Office, located at 101 South John Street. Payments can only be received by the Clerk of Court, Vickie, during office hours, Monday- Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Police officers cannot take payment for traffic citations.

This payment can only be accepted in the form of Cash, or a Cashier’s Check, Certified Check, or Money Order, which should be made out to “Blacksburg Magistrate Court”. Personal checks are never an acceptable form of payment.

(2) You can mail in your payment to the Clerk of Court at 101 South John Street, Blacksburg, SC 29702.

This payment can only be accepted in the form of Cashier’s Check, Certified Check, or Money Order, which should be made out to “Blacksburg Magistrate Court”. Cash cannot be accepted as payment through the mail. Personal checks are never an acceptable form of payment.

(3) You can come to court on your scheduled court date, and can pay the clerk there.

This payment can only be accepted in the form of Cash, or a Cashier’s Check, Certified Check, or Money Order, which should be made out to “Blacksburg Traffic Court”. Personal checks are never an acceptable form of payment.

NOTE: If you wait until the day of your court appearance, be sure to bring payment with you to court. If you are found guilty of the charge(s), the Judge will expect payment at that time; if you fail to bring payment with you, it is possible that you may find yourself taking a trip to the jail until someone can make payment for you.

(4) You may also make a payment online at: www.sccourts.org (SC Judicial Department)

Click online payments (Located in middle of page on folder)

Click on Cherokee County

Type in your last name

You must have you ticket number. There are no spaces between the numbers and letters.

Follow payment instructions

It can take up to 72 hours for payment to post

I have to appear in Magistrate Court for a traffic citation (or I want to get a Courtesy Summons; or any other Court-related question). Where is the Blacksburg Magistrate Court Office located?

The location for the Magistrate Court in Blacksburg (and also the location for the Magistrate Judge’s Office) is 101 South John Street. This is the former school building across from the Piggly Wiggly grocery store on Highway 29 (West Cherokee Street), which is the main street through the Town of Blacksburg. Use the entrance closest to the Highway 29 side of the building.

You can contact the Magistrate at (864) 839-2492, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on holidays.

If I disagree with an officer's traffic accident report, what can I do?

Officers are impartial traffic accident report-takers only. They assess each accident on a case-by-case basis. Officers make a determination as to the contributing factors in the accident, and whether or not a particular driver contributed to the accident, but they DO NOT determine fault.

If you disagree with the final accident report, you should contact that officer to discuss your concerns. The officer has the final say in how the report is written.

Who pays for damage and other related costs is a matter that must be determined in civil court and/or between insurance companies. You should contact your insurance agent and/or an attorney.

If I'm involved in a traffic collision, what should I do if the other driver leaves the scene before the police arrive?

If you are involved in a motor vehicle collision and the other driver leaves the scene before exchanging information with you, attempt to get any identifying information that you can on the other vehicle. This includes vehicle make and model, color, license plate, and any identifying feature such as noticible damage and/or markings.

You should also try to get a good look at the driver. Try to identify their sex, age, race, hair color, and/or style, and any clothing they may have had on. This information will assist the officers responding to the scene to identify and file charges on the driver at a later time.

If you have already exhanged information with the other driver and they leave the scene, give all the information they gave to you to the reporting officer so that he or she may include it in the report.

Where can I get information about applying for employment with the Blacksburg Police Department?

Applications are available at the police station, located at 101 South Shelby Street. The office hours are Monday- Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed for lunch between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. The office is not open on holidays or weekends. To see if we are currently accepting applications, you may give us a call at (864) 839-2331. Openings are also posted in the local newspapers in the classified section.

What are the requirements to apply to become a Blacksburg Police Officer?

At a minimum, a Blacksburg Police Officer must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid South Carolina driver’s license or be able to obtain one at the time of hire, be able to successfully complete the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, and be able to pass the background check.

If you have specific questions as to whether something on your criminal history record or driving record may or may not disqualify you, contact our office at (864) 839-2331.

Does the Blacksburg Police Department have a Reserve Police Officer program?

Yes. We do have a Reserve Police Officer program, and currently have 6 certified Reserve Officers serving with our department. Applications for Reserve Positions are completed in the same manner as for full-time positions.

Does the Blacksburg Police Department have a Police Explorer program?

No. We currently do not have a Police Explorer program, but we are looking at the feasibility of starting one, and should have more information about the program available in the near future.

Does the Blacksburg Police Department allow civilian ride-alongs with officers?

No. The Blacksburg Police Department does not have a ride-along program. Due to Town Council policies, based on liability issues, the only persons who can ride along with officers are other police officers.

How can someone report speeders on their street or request additional traffic speed monitoring?

To report in-progress speeders, call 911 and request to have a Blacksburg officer check the area.

To report an on-going pattern of speeding, or to request additional speed monitoring in your area, you may contact the Blacksburg Police Department’s Supervisors, Sergeant Pete McBride, or Lt. Zeb Starnes, or our Chief of Police, Jamie Ham, at (864) 839-2331.

How do I arrange for the mobile traffic radar sign to be placed in my neighborhood?

Call the Blacksburg Police Department’s Supervisors, or our Chief of Police, Jamie Ham, at (864) 839-2331. Placement locations and length of placement are subject to the department being able to locate the sign in a safe location; pre-existing obligations for placement; number of requests for the sign; and a few other factors.

Please bear in mind that use of the radar sign is part of a whole overall traffic control strategy; therefore a request does not necessarily guarantee that the radar sign will be placed in a specific area on specific dates… other factors may require it to be placed elsewhere at the time.

Will the Police Department check on my house while I'm on vacation?

Yes. In order to request a residence check for your home, come to the Blacksburg Police station, located at 101 South Shelby Street, during business hours. The office hours are Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed for lunch between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. The office is not open on holidays or weekends.

A written request will be posted for officers on the appropriate shifts. Information we will need will include the residence location, the days you need it checked, a point of contact in case of emergency, and any other pertinent information, such as any vehicle which should be parked at the residence.

What is a ||Civil Standby||?

A Civil Standby is a situation where the police officer stands by to keep the peace in a situation involving a civil dispute, not a violation of the law. It is very common in domestic or landloard/tenant disputes, where one party wants to remove his or her property from a dwelling, for example. One of the parties will call our department and request a stand-by.

The officer stands by and tries to ensure that the move is done peacefully. In the case of two parties that live together, the police cannot force one party to give property to the other; this is a matter to be settled in the civil courts. A party is permitted to remove essential personal effects, such as clothing, toiletries, and medications. The officer is a neutral party in such a case, however he or she may take action if one party assaults another.

If you feel you need an officer for a Civil Standby, please call the Blacksburg Police Department during office hours, Monday- Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You may also request for a police officer to respond to your location (within the town limits) by calling the 911 Dispatch’s non-emergency number at (864) 487-2747.

Outside of the front door of the Blacksburg Police station is a telephone which is a direct line to 911 Dispatch, and you may request that a BPD officer meet you.

How can I get a Blacksburg Police Department patch?

Due to changes in Town policy, our department is no longer authorized to release patches for trade, either to private individuals or to other departments. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.